Evolving Quinceañeras

By Rachel Jackson 

 

For non-Spanish speakers, quinceañera can be a mouthful. For a young Latina woman, quinceañera means a chance to publicly step into womanhood and reconnect to her cultura.  For event planners, florist, bakers, and dress makers, quinceañeras translate into booming business.

“For as long as I can remember quinceañeras were something that I was infatuated with,” says 19-year-old Karla Estrada.  “I would dream of the perfect dress, the music, having all eyes on me.”

But just like there is not one type of Latina, there is not just one type of quinceañera.

 

Quintessential quinces

According to quincehelp.com, a popular website to help Latinas plan their celebration, a typical quinceañera has two parts – the mass and the reception.  The Catholic mass allows the young girl, also called the Quinceañera, to thank her family and demonstrate the role faith will play in her transition into maturity.

The reception usually takes place in a venue complete with themed decorations and a dance floor.  Beginning with a grand entrance and ending with dinner and a cake, the reception involves all invited in the celebration.

Though this is a basic sketch of a quinceañera, as Estrada says, “Every household and family is different, we all have our traditions that have been passed down for centuries.”

Tracing roots: quinceañera origins

According to a 1997 article by scholar Karen Mary Dávalos, the quince is said to have originated as an indigenous practice, specifically as an Aztec and Mayan tradition.  The ceremony is also said to have been a Spanish tradition passed onto present-day Latin America through colonialism.

“My sense is that rituals tell a people who they are,” says Nicole Guidotti-Hernández, Professor of American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.  “Scholars focus on both to historicize the how, the where, and the why of the quinceañera ritual.”

Though some scholars place the creation of the quince in pre-colonial Mexico, Guidotti-Hernández, notes that “the coming of age ceremony be it the sweet 16 or the quinceañera for 15 year olds is not restricted to one ethnic group.”  She points out that “Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Central Americans also hold quinceñeras.”

Mapping traditions

Estrada, whose father is from Guatemala and mother is from Colombia, says she changed up a few traditions in her ceremony.

 

“Guatemalan tradition is that the Quinceañera wears white to show purity and honor,” says Estrada.  “I wore a light lilac color dress.” 

The dress, often a focal point of the event, can range from a layered gown complete with elbow-length gloves to a short, trendy, cocktail dress. In countries such as Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, dresses are more likely to mirror Spanish colonial-style ball gowns whereas quince dresses in Colombia are likely to be shorter and cut in a contemporary style.

The traditional color of the dress also differs. Families in Mexico and Guatemala often opt for white dresses while families in Caribbean countries like Puerto Rico prefer pastel colors.

Gift-giving is a staple ceremony in quinces. In many Mexican receptions, the Quinceañera is given a symbolic first pair of high-heels. In Colombian quinces, girls are often gifted a piece of jewelry.

Quinceañeras even have different names depending on the country. In Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina, the celebration is called the Fiesta de Quince.  In Brazil, the event can be called the Festa de Debutante, Baile de Debutante or the Festa de Quinze Anos.

Perhaps the part of the quince that changes the most from country to country, food is an important part of the event. A 2006 article published by the Washington Post profiled a Bolivian girl who tried to fly a baker all the way from La Paz so that he could bake a traditional Bolivian cake for her quinceañera.  According to the same article, Guatemalans and El Salvadorians turn to white cake with fruit layers and whipped cream icing while Mexican quince receptions might feature a tres leches cake.

 

Beyond cake, the dinner served during the reception can also reflect a country’s palate. One blogger insists that Colombians must include lechona, a popular rice dish, in their quinceañera celebration.

Like food, the music played during the reception can change from region to region. A Colombian reception might feature cumbia music, a court in a Dominican quince might choreograph a bachata dance, and Puerto Rican quinces might feature reggaeton.

Dancing during the reception, and important part of most quinces, also changes from context to context. In Mexico, the court, consisting of 7 paired boys and girls and the Quinceañera and her chambelán, dance choreographed dances to kick-off the reception. In Cuba, a few paired girls and boys dance in a circle around the Quinceañera.

At the crossroads of time and place

Though the quinceañera ritual can change from Latin American country to Latin American country, the accepted diversity within the centuries-old tradition signals an increasingly dynamic and multicultural Latina identity.

My Own Quince Story

Name:

Marisol Figueroa

What did turning 15 mean to you?

Turning 15 to me meant I was no longer a little girl; still not a woman, but no longer a little girl. 

Why did you want a quinceañeras?

I wanted a quinceañera because it is what a young Hispanic girl dreams of.  It’s an ENORMOUS party just for you!  Where you get to have the prettiest dress you will ever wear, and everyone is there for you.  I did get offered a car instead of a quinceañera, but the way I saw it was, “I can always get a car.  I can’t always have a quinceañera.”

Tell us about your celebration?  (Dress, theme, location, décor, color, dances, party, court, family)

      My quinceañera was located at The Wild Wild West Ballroom.  The day was Saturday September 4, 1995 (the day I actually turned 15).  My dress was of course white.  It was big and puffy with ruffles; it truly looked like the “ideal” quinceañera dress.  I had no theme, but the color I chose was a royal purple (the color of royalty).  I did have a court, only it was all males; I did not want to share the day with any other female, plus I’ve heard horror stories.  The décor was cute.  I had Barbies in quince dresses at all the tables.  I created the dances for my quince, it was fun and easy plus the guys picked them up quick.  All of my family went except for my dad.  He was an alcoholic at the time and since beer was going to be served he did not want to “ruin” my party.  So, for the father/daughter dance, I danced with my uncle Mike (my aunt’s husband).  I wish my dad would have gone, but I am grateful that I was able to have that dance with my uncle because a few years after that he passed away from pancreatic cancer.

What made your celebration unique?

      My celebration was unique because it was on my actual birthday, I created the dances and my court was all males.

What role did your religion play in your quinceañera?

      Good question.  Let’s see….my parents are Baptist, but they baptized me and my siblings as babies in the Catholic Church (which Baptist’s don’t believe in), I did my First Communion but always attended Sunday school church at the Baptist Church with my parents.  Yet, when I did my quince it was at a Catholic Church.  I would say, “It was all tradition.”  But, I do remember saying a small prayer in my head and being thankful I had lived 15 years.

What is the significance of a quinceañera in our culture today?

      My personal opinion….not sure; I think a lot of the new generation just see it as a big party.

What are some traditions that you incorporated into your event?

      Traditions I incorporated….A Catholic ceremony at the Church, my dress was white and very appropriate, I symbolically did the father daughter dance with my uncle, I gave away a doll.

What was your favorite memory about your quince?

      My favorite memory….all of it....the dance with my uncle, a lot of people went the ballroom fit 500 people and it was packed.  It was a lot of fun!

What advice would you share with a girl planning her quince?

      Enjoy it.  Take in every moment.  Before you know it, it’s gone.

My Quince Story

By Lizette Martinez Maldonado 

1. What did turning 15 mean to you? Turning 15 was traditionally important to me. Having a quince marked my passing a milestone in my life that would enable me to join the "older girls" in my family through experiences. It meant small traditions, like having my dress made by hand by my abuelita and making hundreds of biscochos with my grandma, mother, aunts and sisters.

2. Why did you want a quinceañera? I wanted to see all my family and friends together in one place (my parents are divorced) and I wanted to dance.

3. Tell us about your celebration? (Dress, theme, locations, decor, color, dances, party, court, family) I had a woodland fairy themed quince, I remember my favorite part was the cake, which had real flowers as decor on the frosting. We danced to "Last Night" by The Strokes, "Wonderwall" By Oasis and I literally danced by myself while the song "Dancing with myself" by Billy Idol played. The song I danced with my father was "With or Without You" by U2 and with my buelo - "Mi querido viejo" by Piero.

4. What made your celebration unique? This isn't necessarily a happy sort of unique, but I remember my mother just being released from the hospital after having my baby brother prematurely. It was rough and the week prior (he was born exactly one week before me and as a matter of fact my mother had to leave my quince practice to have him) we really thought we were going to lose both of them. I remember feeling really selfish for going on with the event without her being able to be there, especially the way she planned it, but our entire community pitched in at the last minute to help with everything and I felt so loved. My quince was for me, but in many ways it was for my mom as well, through the generosity of those who helped us on behalf of her.

5. What role did you religion play in your quinceañera? I was raised very devout Catholic, so my family made the religious significance of this event clear, although at the time, I too was developing my own ideas regarding Catholicism and found myself torn with the certain ritual aspects of my quince.

6. What is the significance of a quinceañera in our culture today? In all honesty, I feel that the cultural and traditional aspects of this idea are dwindling and that modern families are turning what used to be a very ritualistic and traditional event into a big party. Its beautiful that girls are still willing to adhere to culture but I feel that, to them (and in retrospect myself included) the celebration would mean more with a better understanding behind why we are celebrating it.

7. What are some traditions that you incorporated into your event? I remember my father changing my shoes, the dances, the cookies, and giving a speech as well.

8. What was your favorite memory about your quince? Dancing with my buelo, crying with him as I supported his weight because of his bad knees. It was beautiful, thinking about it now, I tear up.

9. What advice would you share with a girl planning her quince? Don't care too much about the material and focus more on the quality of memories you are making. The details don't matter in the end.

Having a Quince Mass...or Not?

By Coral Rey

The religious ceremony has been a tradition in the quinceañera celebration for a long time until recently. While some girls choose to continue the religious tradition, others do not. What are the details behind their decision to have or not have a celebration, and how do young ladies decide whether or not to have a ceremony?

While planning (or even just thinking of) a quinceañera celebration, one element of the festivities always comes to mind: the religious ceremony. According to quincehelp.com, “the quinceañera mass is a thanksgiving for [the Quinceañera’s] first 14 years of life.” Nowadays, the religious ceremony is seen as an optional part of the quince celebration. Girls having a quince use their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) to determine whether or not to have a religious ceremony.

For April Reza, a high school graduate who had her quince in 2010, deciding to have a religious ceremony was easy. “It’s something I [had] always wanted since I was little,” she remembers with a smile. Growing up as a Catholic in an all-Catholic household, April saw the religious ceremony pass down as a tradition in her family. “It’s something we always do,” she says.

Since having a religious celebration is a tradition in her family, it was very well received. April recalls, “They really enjoyed it…they wish they could’ve done the whole thing over again.”

While some girls like April go the traditional route, others like to be different, such as Nastassia Artalejo, a self-employed photographer who had her quince back in 2006. Raised in a non-religious household and being agnostic herself, Nastassia chose to not have a religious ceremony for her quinceañera. Nastassia says that having a religious ceremony was “not important [for me]. I just wanted to be there to celebrate what my parents thought was an important birthday.”

While Nastassia’s parents were fine with her not having a ceremony, her extended family did not have a similar reaction. “It was confusing for the rest of my family that I wasn’t having a ceremony because they are all Catholic. My cousins all had ceremonies at churches, but I didn’t,” she recalls.

So what does this all mean for girls out there planning their quince? How should they go about deciding whether or not to have a religious ceremony? Amalia Castro, a musician who had her quince back in 1999 weighs in on the issue, saying “They (Quinceañeras) should just be informed what it is about and let them decide if they want the ceremony or not.”

Ultimately, a religious ceremony should be something you “do…for yourself,” says Nataly Monique Montana, a 10th grader who recently had her quince in 2012. Nataly was raised as a Baptist but was not officially baptized in her church. In order for her to have had a religious ceremony at her church, she and her parents would have had to go through a series of religious meetings with the priest of her church and be baptized. When Nataly and her parents were planning her quince and they learned what steps they would have to take to have a ceremony, there just wouldn't be enough time before her quince. Nonetheless, Nataly and her parents were not disheartened because they couldn't have a ceremony. Nataly says that instead,  "my dad and I said a prayer at the [quince] party" something that Nataly remembers as being personal and fulfilling. Despite Nataly coming from a religious upbringing she recalls, "no one said anything" about her not having had a religious ceremony.

While having a religious ceremony as part of a quince is customary, girls planning their quince shouldn’t feel pressured to follow in tradition’s footsteps for the sake of doing so. According to Quinceanera.com, a girl renews her baptismal vows and promises to honor herself and her religion before God and her community at the ceremony. This carries a lot of religious and cultural significance, so don’t do it if your heart and personal beliefs aren’t in it. Remember, it is your big day, so make it yours in your own special way, with or without a ceremony.

Pick Your Quince Theme

By Laura Werthmann

You only turn 15 once and Latinas have it best: we get to share that day with everyone we love and it’s all about us. A is something most girls dream about so it needs to be all about her. There are so many ways to personalize your quinceanera, by the age of fifteen you’ve already established some interests and future goals to be able to put it all into one big party. Here are a few ways to bring out who you are and what you love for your night as a princess.

 

Colors

By now you’ve found out the colors that compliment you, your favorite colors are, and the colors that have been around you your whole lives. Now it’s time to choose one, or a few, and  use them for your accent color, and dresses for your court.  Think about the colors of your favorite sports team, your school colors, maybe a color that blew up in your room. There are endless possibilities to which colors you can use, why not make it the way you want. If you’re still having trouble, the seasons have a lot to do with your Quince, especially the colors you choose . If your birthday is in the spring season it’s good to use soft hues of the color you want like light purple or a soft pink. For summer birthdays, use earth tones like forest green and mahogany or brighter colors like neons, yellows, or oranges that are found in the sun. During fall you can also use earth tones, and it’s always good to have nice warm colors like peach or burgundy. For winter quinces it’s good to use deep rich colors like red, dark purple, or royal blue.

Patterns

Why stop at colors when you can create a theme out of your favorite pattern. You can use, leopard spots, polka dots, floral, paisley, stripes, tie-dye, glitter, the list is endless. Not very many girls use patterns for their quince, but it’s a good way to personalize your day, and show off your creativity and who you are.

Stories

You have lived almost 15 years on this earth, there has to be a specific story, time period, genre, idea, or movie that you just loved from the moment it entered your life.  Use that plot to customize your party. If you’re into Shakespeare maybe have a Starry Night theme, with lights, gazebos and, of course, stars. There’s an Under the Sea theme for Atlantis and Little Mermaid fans. You can do a casino night and dress in swanky clothes, a 20’s night for all you flapper girls out there, you can even go way back to medieval times and literally have a royal court. If you liked the movie Back to the Future you can do just that, and have a futuristic theme to stun your guests (but not literally I hope leave those stun guns at home). Whatever genre, story, or mood you’ve been into your whole life can be used to really show your 100 plus closest loved ones who you really are.
 

Animals

If there’s a specific cuddly, scaly, or slimy animal that you totally adore, why not let the world know and make that a theme to your party? You can have animal napkins, plates, pictures, decorations, table centers (as long as they're faux), the works to really show you care. Do you like cheetah or zebra prints? Try making those the theme for your party. You could even take a trip to the zoo before the party.

Landscapes and destinations
Landscapes are a great time to use your surroundings and seasons. If your birthday is in the winter, why not go for a winter wonderland? You could have a summer beach party, a spring picnic, or a fall harvest. If there’s a specific place or city you like, New York, Paris, Brazil, India, replicate it! There is so much beauty and wonder in the world, why not share it?

All About You

Because the day is all about you anyway, why not have your face and pictures all over everything? From your diaper days, to your high school halls, share YOU with the world. Put your best memories all over the walls and really make the day about you!

Say Sí to the Dress

By Coral Rey

Your quinceañera is coming up and you probably have a lot on your mind already: finding a venue, flower arrangements, cake testing, who you’re going to invite, and of course, your dress. For your big day you can’t just wear any dress. It is THE dress you will wear during your coming-of-age festivities, a big day for us Latinas. Needless to say, finding your dress can be super stressful. But it doesn't have to be. Here are some tips you can follow to help you say sí to the dress of your dreams.

Following Tradition 
White is the traditional color for quinceañera dresses. It is pure, graceful, and a classic color that never goes out of style. If you want to go the traditional route for your dress, you can visit any prom/bridal shop or department store such as Macy’s or Dillard’s to choose from their selections of white gowns. From ball-gown, mermaid, to tea-length, these shops have many styles of dresses to make any quinceañera feel like a princess.

Theme Party
If you’re having a themed quince, extend that theme to your dress! For unique quinces (for example, Arabian Nights or Hollywood Glamour) visit costume shops in your city or online. There are even websites like ebay.com that have sections dedicated to one-of-a-kind dresses you can bid for!

Color Me Happy
Just because you’re having a quince doesn't mean your dress has to be white! Nastassia Artalejo, a photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina who had her quince in 2006 broke the mold of the traditional white dress. She says, “I wore a tea-length hot pink dress with black polka dots on it. I didn't want a traditional poofy princess-style ball gown.” Don’t know what color to wear? If your quince has a theme color, pick a dress in that shade. If you want to stand out from your quince’s color scheme, why not wear a dress in your favorite color? Feel fabulous in your favorite hue on your big day! You have the whole color wheel to choose from, so get inspired and find yourself a colorful dress!

For Fashionistas 
If you’re into following the latest trends, why not show your passion for fashion at your quince? Look at pictures of runway shows in magazines like Marie Claire or Vogue. You can also look at pictures of your favorite celebrities at red carpet events where they model the latest fashions.

Work of Art 
If you’re the out-of-the-box kind of girl, this tip is for you. Rather than have a dress made out of normal fabrics, why not make a dress out of unconventional materials like origami or flowers? Log on to http://littlegreendresses.wordpress.com/photos/ to look at some nature-inspired dresses and http://www.ehow.com/how_8589672_make-paper-dresses.html for a how-to on how to make your own dress out of paper!

Made for Me 
If you’ve been shopping around and nothing is catching your eye, how about getting a dress custom made? To find a designer, offbeatbride.com suggests going to dress shops around town and asking for references. Some local dress shops in your city may be run by the designers of the clothes themselves, so ask and see if they are willing to work with you to create a unique dress! It’s ok to not know exactly what you want, but if you do hire a designer, let him or her know what you like and don’t like. Bring pictures of dresses, samples of materials, color swatches, anything you can think of to help the designer create your vision!

All in the Family 
If you’re a family-oriented girl, why not wear your mom’s or your sister’s quince dress? Quinceañera dresses are very important for us girls, so the women in our family tend to keep them long after we turn 15. So ask someone in your family if they still have their dress and if they would be ok with you wearing it. They’ll naturally say yes because you’ll be making that dress an heirloom, something you can pass down to another girl in your family when it’s her turn to turn to have a quinceañera.

Don’t Forget… 
While you’re counting down the days until your quince and you’re dress-hunting, don’t give up! April Reza, a high school graduate who had her quince in 2010 suggests “keep looking at first.” It may take you a while to find your dream dress, but you will find it. Want the #1 tip to finding your dress? Nastassia Artalejo says “pick what makes you happy and pretty, not what everyone else wants or thinks is right for you!”

DIY: What's A Party Without Balloons?

Materials:

Clear latex balloons
Confetti of your choice
Helium
Ribbon
Scissors
Pen

Step 1. First, grab a clear balloon. Then, grab a mini handful of tissue paper confetti. Fold the pile of confetti in half, and then in half again.

Step 2. Once you have a little tube of confetti, push the confetti-tube into the neck of the balloon. Poke it down with your pen until all of the confetti falls into the balloon. 

Step 3. Fill the balloon with helium up to the size of your choice. And tie your finished balloon with your ribbon.

AND YOU'RE DONE!

If you'd like to do confetti balloons, but in a different way, this DIY is a great idea!

Simply complete all the four steps, but this time you can use balloons with printed letters to spell something, or buy stick on letters to place after your balloon is complete.

Once all of that is done, get a tissue fringe garland, and tie twine around the knot of each balloon and attach to the tissue garland so that the balloons barely touch. Continue this process till you have all your balloons on your tissue garland. If you don't have a place to securely hang your balloon garland, buying command adhesive hooks is highly recommended. It doesn't damage a wall, and it will hold your decoration great!

Another great balloon decoration!

Materials:

Clear latex balloons

Ribbon

Glue gun (set at "low")

Helium

Pompoms

This is a very easy way to make plain clear balloons stand out at your event. And don't worry... your balloon won't pop!

1. Get your clear balloon and fill it up with helium. 

2. Tie your balloon with the ribbon of your choice, so when you began gluing your pompoms, you have your balloon secure and tied somewhere.

3. Once your glue gun is ready, began gluing your pompoms all over your balloon. Try to separate them evenly so you won't have just one clump of pompoms in one area. 

There you have it, from plain clear balloons, to some fun pompom balloons!

DIY: Creative Centerpiece Ideas!

Materials:

Jar
Ribbon
CANDY!
Candle number depending on age
Glue gun

I can guarantee you that this cute centerpiece idea, will only take you about 5 minutes!

You first fill up your jar halfway with what whatever candy you enjoy best, colorful candy makes your centerpiece stand out more, but the choice is yours! Once you have your jar half way filled with candy, insert the candle you picked and make sure its neatly placed to where it can be seen and in the middle. Then you continue pouring your delicious candy all the way to the top. Seal your jar of course, and to put a little more to  your centerpiece, add a bow! Get your ribbon and create a bow the way you like and simply use your glue gun to paste it at the top of your jar. And there you have it, a sweet and simple centerpiece that will look great at your party and one your guest will definitely enjoy!  

 Materials:

A glass cylinder
Flowers of your choice
Birthday candles
Ribbon
Glue gun

Step 1. Fill up your glass with your flowers. Try not to put TOO many flowers, just enough that will fill up the bottom of the glass from a birds perspective. 

Step 2. Once you've inserted all your flowers, get your birthday candles and start placing them all around the edge of the cylinder. 

Step 3. Get your glue gun and put glue all over the top edge of the container where your ribbon will be. Quickly, place your ribbon on the glue and make sure you are left with extra ribbon in the middle, enough to create a bow. 

Step 4. Once you create your pretty bow, look at the edges of the ribbon and if you'd like, fold one end in half and cut diagonally from the top folded side to the bottom. Forming a triangle. Repeat the same process to the other end of your ribbon, to give your centerpiece more of a clean look.

If there is anything else you would like to add, do it! You can always put your own creativity towards this!

DIY: Create Your Own Quinceañera Guest Book!

Things you’ll need:

•      Plain Guestbook

•      Ribbon

•      Glue Gun

•      Glue Sticks

•      Photos of you

•      Any additional details of your  choice
•     Decorative paper

You don’t always have to buy your own guest book; you can add your own personal touch and create your own! The steps are very simply, and the turnout is great!

1. Choose the decorative paper of your liking, and cover your guest book.
2. Place the paper on the guestbook with at least an inch hanging over the edge.
3. Take the paper that is hanging over and fold it in.
4. Secure the paper on the back of the cover using the glue stick or glue gun.
5. Repeat steps until the entire book is covered.
6. Layer your ribbon of choice over the paper and secure using the glue stick or glue gun.
7. You can add any additional details to your guestbook to make it the way you'd like, so just have fun with it! 

Easy steps, and there you have it. Your cute guestbook is done!

 *Extra tip*

To decorate the inside, you can also add pictures on every other sheet of yourself so your guest can see as they write.

Things you'll need:

Jenga set & a sharpie or a pen!

And yes... that is all you need, to create your own guestbook!

The steps are simple. Just buy a Jenga set for your guest, have them take a block to write on and when they are finish have them assemble the blocks. At the end of the night you'll get your set of Jenga, and can later play whenever you'd like and be able to read what your guests wrote! A little tip if you choose this different, but great guestbook idea, is to have some sort of sign for your guests that in fact your set of Jenga is your ACTUAL guestbook! 

Another similar guestbook idea, is using pebbles or a set of puzzle! All you need is:

  2 types of containers
 & pebbles or stones that you can write on!

Simply place the pebbles or stones of your choice on one container, have a sharpie laid out, and ask your guest to sign on a pebble or stone and have them place it on a different container. It's a cute and new idea that you can have at your event!

All you need is:

2 types of containers

& a puzzle set!

Place your puzzle set inside any type of container, and a pen or sharpie on the side, and ask your guest to sign a puzzle piece! When they have finished signing it they can place it inside a jar or a different container. This is a memorable way to create your guestbook, because you can always play with your puzzle and as you assemble it, you'll be able to read what each of your guests had to say!

Another simple idea!

Things you'll need:

A block letter

A jar to hold your pens or sharpies

Just place your block letter on your entrance table, have your jar filled with the pens or sharpies of your choice & TA-DA! It's done. Each guest will write on your block letter and you'll go home with a memorable decoration filled with what your guests had to say, that you can always place as decoration in your room!

 Lastly, another great and affordable guestbook idea.

 All you need:

Jar/bowl/box

Small gift cards

Decorative pen

Simply place your container of choice at your guestbook table, than neatly place your small gift cards as well. Decorate the arrangement as you please! Have your decorative pen there and just ask your guests to sign in the small gift cards and when done place it inside their container! It looks really nice and super affordable!

 *Extra tip*

To make your containers more creative, add some extra touches! Decorate them as you please! Just have fun with it!

DIY: A Simple & Fun Way To Make Your Own Wrist Corsage!

Materials:

Any type of band (available at craft stores)

False flower of your choice

                                  Super glue

                                     Ribbon

Step 1: You have to get rid of the stem, by cutting it with a pair of scissors, or if you want to get rid of the leaves as well, simply pull them away from the main flower.

Step 2: You'll need to superglue the end of a piece of ribbon in any color of your liking, to the base of your flower choice. Once the glue is dry, pull the end of the ribbon underneath one of the outer petals.

Step 3: With the loose end of the ribbon, weave across the width of the band, and then pull tight up to the edge of the flower.

Step 4: Lay the band flat against the base of the flower and again, pull the loose ribbon end underneath the next outer petal. Repeat the weaving back across the band and looping under the petals until the flower is secure from each angle.

Step 5: Once the flower is secure, the ribbon will naturally fall between the beads of the band. You can now neatly tie the end, and place superglue if you want to be doubly safe and cut any excess parts.

 

                                      …And now you're set!